Tuesday, January 15, 2013

We eat on the go a lot at our house. Field trips, early morning runs, music lessons, dance lessons, 2 services at church on Sunday. You know the drill. Often times, we need a quick snack on the go, but I want something better than simple carbs and tons of sugar. Enter the protein bar! Store bought bars (like Lara bars and Cliff bars) are super expensive and honestly, I generally feel like I need 2 to satisfy any hunger and that adds up quickly especially with 5 people. So, that doesn't fly well at our house. Finally, Mike and I decided to make our own bars. We've been fiddling with the recipe for about 3 years and finally have it to where we love it. It's open for lots of interpretation, so take it as a spring board to find your own perfect family recipe.

Protein Bars

2 ripe bananas1/2 C. coconut oil3 C. oats1 C. shredded unsweetened coconut1/2 C. dried cranberries1/2
C. dried apples, cut into small bits (you can use any combo of dried
fruits such as dates, cherries, mangoes, apricots, raisins, ect. We just
prefer cranberries or cherries and apples.)1 C. chocolate chips1/2 C. sunflower seeds1/2 C. walnuts, chopped (you can use any nut combo you prefer to make 1C. of nuts.)1
C. of maple syrup/honey/molasses (I use 1/3C. of each to make a full
cup. It's our preference. The original recipe called for maple syrup,
but that's expensive and I prefer the depth of flavor the molasses and
honey add.)1 C. peanut butter ( or any nut butter of your preference. almond, pecan, cashew, ect.)6 scoops of protein powder ( I use Nutiva Hemp Protein) 4 T. flax seeds or flax meal4 T. Chia seeds1 T. cinnamon
2 t. vanilla extract

Throw
everything into your big stand mixer 2 or 3 at a time, and mash it
all up together well, adding ingredients as you go. Line a 9x13 pan with
parchment paper so you can lift the bars out when frozen to make
cutting the bars easier later. Spread out mixture well and then freeze
for a few hours. Remove from freezer and slice into bars. Wrap
individually or not and keep them in an airtight container in the
freezer or fridge. Enjoy!

About me

My name is Fairlight. I'm a stay at home mommy. 2 little girls and a new little boy. I home school. We keep it pretty natural at our house. I love vintage. Sewing and crafting are my hobby. You'll find my babies in cloth diapers. I birth at home. I like pretty dresses and messy hair. My heart is in the country with a little bit of land, a barn, some animals, and a whole bunch of fruit trees. I carry a camera most places I go. My desire is to follow Christ and have Him be seen in everything I do.